


(Supposedly) Young love

by Yellowbirdbluetoo



Category: Hey Arnold, Hey Arnold!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, First Date, Only rated g for like 2 curse words, Sweet, Takes place after The Jungle movie, of course, their aged up to 13 here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-19
Updated: 2018-06-19
Packaged: 2019-05-25 13:56:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14978603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yellowbirdbluetoo/pseuds/Yellowbirdbluetoo
Summary: Helga has no idea what love is supposed to be like.But if she had to guess. It’d definitely be this.





	(Supposedly) Young love

**Author's Note:**

> PS-takes place a few months after the jungle movie. 
> 
> Also I’ve aged them up to thirteen because they seemed 11 in the movie and show but I looked it up and it said Arnold was nine (*cough* unrealistic *cough*) so I changed it.

The two teens stood awkwardly next to each other, hands brushing as they scanned the menu that hung off the food cart they were standing in front of. 

“I think I’ll get strawberry. What about you Helga?”.

The blonde girl didn’t reply. 

“Helga?”.

“Hm? Oh uh, sorry. Mint if they have it?”. She berated herself in her mind as her date went to order. She couldn’t help how flustered she got around the boy. She could barely think when Arnold was standing so close to her. 

This was their first official date since their kiss- that amazing kiss- during that crazy adventure so many weeks ago. 

Thanksgiving break was approaching fast, and the leaves falling from the trees in the Park, showing off how thin the tree branches had gotten, were a clear sign of winters approach. 

She and Arnold’s relationship-if you could call it that- started small. Sure she’d always liked the football headed boy but she’d never had much of an inkling that he liked her back. Arnold liked everyone, but ‘like like’ was an entirely different thing. 

Then he’d kissed her back and it’s was just... amazing. Did she just sigh. She totally just did a love filled sigh. What was wrong with her?

“Your ice cream, M’lady”. Arnold had returned, holding out her ice cream with a grin when she snorted at his joke. “Shut up”. She punched him-lightly- in the arm with her free hand, blushing tremendously when he grabbed her hand and interlocked his fingers with hers. 

“W-what are you doing!”. He appeared hesitant for a moment. “Holding your hand? That’s what couples do right? I can stop if you want sorry I-“.

“No”. She gave a small smile. “It’s fine. I like it”. He seemed pleased and tugged her further into the park. They admired the leaves that littered the ground, the beautiful fall colors mixing beautifully. 

The two found a bench to sit on and finish their ice cream, hands still interlocked. 

Both of their faces were slightly pink, and they didn’t look at each other, anxiety eating at both of them. 

This was ridiculous. They were ridiculous. Neither of them should have been flustered by just holding hands. She’d seen couples in public doing way way more and not even blinking an eye. Were they doing his wrong? Was it a mistake? Why did she keep punching his arm? What was wrong with her? Are dates supposed to be this stressful? Are-.

“Your thinking too much”. Arnold says suddenly, snapping her out of her panic. 

“Huh?”.

“I can practically hear you thinking up there”. He gestured to her head. There’s no malice or meanness in his voice. A trace of teasing in his tone, absolutely. 

“What makes you think I’m thinking to much?”.

“I can just tell”. He pauses. “That and you were squeezing the hand really tight”.

She looks down at their interlocked hands and finds that hushed holding his tighter than normal couple hand holding is supposed to be. 

She goes to let go and he stops her. “It’s okay. It doesn’t hurt or anything. I just wanted to make sure your okay”.

Of course he does. Of fucking course he does. Arnold always wants to make sure everyone’s okay. That’s just how he is. 

Hell thats why she fell in love with him in the first place. 

She almost drops her ice cream. 

The ‘L word’ sounds weird in her mind. She doesn’t wanna imagine how weird it’ll sound on her tounge. Especially in front of Arnold. 

“Are you play? You look nervous”. 

“I uh... I’m fine. Don’t worry. Let’s go walk some more”. She says, hurriedly. He’s already finished his ice cream, and she tosses the rest of hers, appetite strangely disappearing. 

They arrive at a lake, a small one compared to the big one in the center of the park. 

They just stand there, hands interlocked, staring into the water. 

Fish swim around, a few flowers and leaves float on top, a handful of trash sits at the shallow bottom. 

All in all, it’s pretty mediocre, but it’s stopping questions from being asked so who cares?

It’s barely noticeable at first, but he’s been sneaking peeks at her for the last five minutes, opening his mouth several times to speak than shutting it, then opening it again. 

He does it a fourth time and she snaps. 

“What! What do you need to tell me? Just say it!”. He blinks, swallows, then speaks. 

“I’m just... I think I’m in love with you”.

It’s a good thing she threw her ice cream away, she most certainly would’ve dropped it. 

They’re thirteen. Can thirteen year olds be in love? Like for certain? Corey and Topanga from that old TV show her sister watches were. 

“I uh-“. He brain is most certainly malfunctioning. It’s probably mush. Arnold made her brain mush. 

She loves him for it. 

She kissed him, very suddenly, and he seems surprised but he misses back. It’s short, but it’s sweet. 

They smile at each other, slightly flustered, and he laughs. 

“What?”. 

He gives her that award winning Arnold smile. 

“You taste like mint”.

For the first time in a while, she bursts out laughing. 

This is most certainly what love is.

**Author's Note:**

> This was an ask submitted for ‘ hey hey it’s Ask week 2017’ and writing thing I did last year.
> 
> For: Anon333
> 
> Hope this is what you wanted I haven’t really written for Hey Arnold so this was fun. Helga is definitely one of my favorite characters.


End file.
